The working memory model Flashcards
central executive, phonological loop, visuo-spatial sketchpad and episodic buffer. Features of the model: coding and capacity.
who created the WMM?
Baddeley & Hitch (1974)
why was the WMM created?
to replace the STM store of the MSM due to criticisms
what were the criticisms of the STM from the MSM
STM must be more complex than a single unitary store that only exists to pass information on to LTM
STM must be an active processer, holding multiple different types of information simultaneously while being worked on
what is the central executive?
‘head of the model’ controls attention
receives sense information and filters this before passing on to sub systems
features of the central executive
coding: all types of information
capacity: limited to 4 items - works on one type of information at a time but can switch attention between different inputs
what is the phonological loop?
temporarily retains language-based information
what does the phonological loop consist of?
phonological store
articulatory process
features of the phonological loop
coding: auditory information - acoustically
capacity: limited - what can be said in 2 secs (word length effect)
what is the phonological store?
stores auditory speech information in the way it was heard - inner ear
what is the articulatory process?
stores words heard/seen and silently repeats (maintenance rehearsal) - inner voice
auditory information passes from the central executive to…
the phonological loop
what is the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
temporarily retains visual and spatial information - inner eye
what does the visuo-spatial sketchpad consist of?
visual cache
inner scribe
features of the visuo-spatial sketchpad
coding: visual information
capacity: limited - 3-4 objects
what is the visual cache?
a passive store of form and colour
what is the inner scribe?
active store holding the relationships between objects in 3D space
visual information passes from the central executive to…
the visuo-spatial sketchpad
what component of the WMM was added later?
Episodic buffer was added in 2000
what is the episodic buffer?
general store
combines and collects information from the CE, PL and VSS to record an event
it then transfers information to the LTM and is used to retrieve information from the LTM to the STM
features of the episodic buffer
coding: all types of information
capacity: limited (~4 chunks)
research evidence supporting the WMM - interference tasks
Baddeley (1975) used ‘interference tasks’ to measure performance as participants were asked to perform 2 tasks simultaneously
performance was much better when the tasks where not using the same processing
suggesting that the VSS and PL exist as separate systems and the capacity of the VSS can be overwhelmed with visual information - evidence for different STM stores
case study of KF
Shallice and Warrington (1970) investigated clinical case of KF
found that he has a selective impairment to his verbal STM caused by a brain injury
however the visual functioning of his STM is not affected
suggests that PL and VSS subsystems are separate processes located in separate brain regions
research study supporting WMM - brain imaging
Prabhakaran et al (2000) used brain imaging FMRI scans to investigate STM
researchers asked PPs to complete tasks with equal amounts of spatial and verbal info
condition 1: spatial and verbal information was separate
condition 2: information was integrated
condition 1: more activity in the posterior brain regions
condition 2: more activity in the prefrontal cortex
suggests the EB exists in the prefrontal cortex which specialises in the combination and temporary storage of visual and auditory information
research evidence supporting WMM - word length effect
Baddeley (1975) visually showed participants word lists and asked them to write it down in the same order
condition 1: monosyllabic words
condition 2: polysyllabic
found that participants could recall more monosyllabic words than polysyllabic words
suggests that the capacity of PL is not the number of distinct items but by the time it takes to say the word (~2words) - known as the word length effect
evaluations of the WMM
- CE criticised for being a vague concept without a full explanation of its function - Baddeley included the EB to compensate for this
+ WMM more accurate in describing memory as an active processor compared to MSM which sees STM as a passive store - called working memory not STM
+ lab experiments - highly controlled with strong internal validity - highly replicable - lab experiments - lacks external validity and mundane realism as it is unrealistic and artificial so may not be generalised to real life
- inferences are made due to inability to observe processes of memory - assumptions about cognitive processes could be wrong
